Dear Listers,
I am seeking assistance from anyone who is familiar with farms in Colva, RAD.
My G grandfather, Thomas Watkins, was born in Colva on 22 May 1854. The place he was born
was recorded as 'Glencairdie', and this was also recorded as his mother's
address when she registered the birth. Both entries are quite clear, so that is what the
registrar intended to write, but it appears very unlikely that there would have been such
a Scottish sounding place name in Colva. The family had moved to Clifford near Hay by the
time of the 1861 census and while they were living in Colva in 1851, I haven't been
able to find them on that year's census.
After searching various maps of the area and the addresses in the 1881 census the closest
name I've been able to identify is 'Blaencerde', which is a farm in the
extreme south-east of the parish about half a mile north of Newchurch. It is shown as
'Blaen-cerdin' on the 1891 map.
Does anyone know of any other farm in the area with a name that could sound like
'Glencairdie' to a foreign ear? I'd be particularly interested to hear of any
that had been abandoned by 1881. GG grandfather Thomas Watkins (b Brilley HEF 1825) was a
sheep farmer, so the place is most likely to be a hill farm.
Does anyone know anything of the history of Blaencerde? In particular, who was farming
there in the period 1850-56?
Has anyone come across any record of Thomas or Emma/Emily Watkins in Colva in the period
1850-56? Emma's maiden name was 'Hobby' and she was born in Llanstephan, RAD,
around 1828/9.
I'd much appreciate any assistance anyone is able to provide or to hear from anyone
with family connections.
Best regards
Dave Matthews
Corlette, Australia